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Vintage Indian / South Asian | Hand-Carved Solid Wood Elephant | Fully Worked Floral Inlay

This vintage elephant carving from India / South Asia is a hand-carved solid wood piece with a strong ethnic-craft character. The body is dark solid wood, its surface extensively covered with fully worked floral, geometric and decorative inlay; fine patterns can be seen from the back, head and ears down to the legs, making it visually very rich. The elephant stands in a steady pose on sturdy legs, its trunk hanging naturally and its two tusks extending forward, giving the whole a weighty, powerful proportion. Unlike simple plain wood carvings, the true distinction of this piece lies in its all-over decoration. Almost every major area of the body bears leaves and flowers, radiating motifs, lozenge lattices and small floral patterns; the dense detail carries a strong traditional Indian and South Asian folk-art style. The head and back are especially fine, showing large radiating floral motifs surrounded by continuous leaves, flowers and geometric lattices. The inlay is ivory-white / off-white, contrasting clearly with the dark brown wood, so the piece remains easy to read even when viewed from a distance.

Price NT$ 5,280 ≈ US$ 165(Approximate amount; actual prices are in New Taiwan Dollars)

Dimensions: L 22.5 × W 10 × H 20 cm
Category: Decorative Objects

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Features

◆ Hand-carved in solid wood, with a strong folk-craft feel

The whole piece is carved from solid wood, and the contour of the body, the ears, trunk, tusks, legs and back all show a clear handmade quality. Unlike modern mould-made animal figures, this piece lets you see the grain of the wood itself, the marks of the blade, and the natural changes left by time.

◆ Densely carved floral and geometric ornament

The strongest point of this piece is its all-over carving.

The back, head, shoulders and legs of the elephant are all richly decorated with:

Floral motifs

Leaf motifs

Radiating motifs

Diamond lattice motifs

Repeating small-flower motifs

Geometric bands

Seen close up, the compositions of the different areas can be enjoyed slowly one by one, which suits anyone who likes intricate ethnic craftwork.

◆ Strong contrast between dark wood and pale inlay

The dark brown wood body is set against ivory-white and cream inlay, giving a very strong visual contrast. This pairing of dark and light is one of the characteristic effects of South Asian decorative woodcarving, and it also makes the floral and geometric patterns stand out more.

◆ The elephant subject, rich in auspicious meaning

In Indian and South Asian culture the elephant carries important symbolic meaning, and is often associated with strength, wisdom, stability, good fortune, wealth, protection and prosperity. Besides being a collectable carving, this piece therefore also works well as an auspicious object in a room.

Specifications

Dimensions	L 22.5 × W 10 × H 20 cm